Damages paid in St. Charles park, Wasco vandalism
Four people accused of vandalizing St. Charles Park District offices and a school near Wasco in late 2015 have repaid more than $25,000 in damages and applied for Kane County's Pretrial Diversion Program, which lets first-time, nonviolent felony offenders have their records wiped clean if they stay out of trouble.
Authorities said Kyle J. Wandle and William J. Donlevy, both of Campton Hills, and Nicholas P. Zamecnik of Elburn ransacked concession stands at Otter Cove Aquatic Park and trashed offices used by sports groups at James O. Breen Park at Campton Hills and Peck roads in late November 2015.
According to a police affidavit used to secure a search warrant in the case, the three confessed to police about the vandalism, which included spraypainting a swastika on a wall and writing an epithet underneath it.
Those three and a fourth person, Jacob Principato of South Elgin, also were charged with vandalizing the Wasco Elementary School, 34N782 School St., and Wasco Nursery and Garden Center, 41W781 Route 64, both in Campton Hills, in late November 2015.
All four appeared in Kane County court Wednesday.
David Camic, defense attorney for Zamecnik, said all four defendants have paid for the damages and have no previous criminal arrests.
"They paid for all the damages they did," Camic said. "They've never been in trouble before. They're highly likely to comply with the pretrial diversion."
According to court records, a lawsuit filed on behalf of the park district's insurance company against Wandle, Donlevy and Zamecnik sought $25,288.92 in damages. The lawsuit was dismissed in April 2016 after the damages were paid, court records show.
Wandle, now 20, of the 4N800 block of East Mary Drive; Donlevy, 19, of the 4N700 block of Chaffield Drive; Zamecnik, 19, of the 41W400 block of Forest Lane, and Principato, 19, of the 2200 block of Sutton Drive, are charged with felony burglary and several counts of criminal damage to state-supported property.
The most severe charge of felony burglary carries a punishment ranging from probation to up to seven years in prison.
All four are free on bail and next due in court March 21 before Judge Marmarie Kostelny, records show.